Name: Movie Review: Brightburn
Item: Brightburn
Author: @chekohler

Hey Superhero Fanatics

Over the last few years, comic book and superhero movies have been hitting the box office almost on a monthly basis. You can't turn your eyes to the cinema without one of the posters promoting some sort of comic book adaptation.

This treasure trove of content has now been milked for all its worth, with shitty remakes galore and a few decent films to keep us believing in the various franchises.

While there is still plenty of juice left in the tank for these movies, it wouldn't be long before we saw spin-offs or alternative reality concepts. Brightburn looks to be the first of many re-imaginings of iconic superheroes, which is probably why they started with one of the most iconic superheroes of all time, Superman!

What is Brightburn about?

We all know the story of Martha and Johnathan Kent, simple farm town folk who raise an alien they found had crash-landed on earth. Supermans origin story is well known and always been about truth, justice and the American way.

But what if a child from another world crash-landed on Earth, but instead of becoming a hero to mankind, he proved to be something far more sinister? Brightburn is a subversive take on a radical new genre: superhero horror

Image source - flickeringmyth.com

What I thought of Brightburn

The concept is pretty interesting but not unique, we've seen an evil superman in Injustice, Bizarro and Red son but most of these stories focused on an adult. We all know kids are creepy as shit, Pet Cemetary, The Grudge, The Ring, Children of the corn and the list goes on. There is something unnerving about creepy murderous kids.

Now picture that jacked up to 1000 with the enhanced abilities of Superman, which is what Brightburn promises but fails to deliver on many fronts.

The movies basic premise revolves around is evil innate or is there a nurturing aspect at play here but doesn't decide which to side with which is annoying. At some points the boy, Brandon seems to be hypnotised, called towards his dark nature which is what he should be, showing no remorse for what he does.

Then other times his worried what others would think of his actions, his fighting with his parents, or embarrassed by certain actions. Then his cold and recluse but not evil the next minute, it really just didn't get me to feel for the character and his struggles in any way

I would have really liked to see more of his thoughts and internal battle as he comes to grips with his abilities to do harm and exploring what he's capable of and if and where he should draw the line.

The movie provides a few incidents which showcase his discovery of his abilities and then he kills everyone that's basically it.

Trailer for Brightburn

My rating for Brightburn

Crossbreeding superhero stories with horror staples was an idea laden with promise and one that could be explored much deeper than just a slasher film.

The actors do a pretty good job of selling us this paper thin story and confusing narrative. Brightburn's just never got going and by the time the movie climax is an unsatisfying ending preluding to a sequel/universe, it really didn't deserve.

I'd give it a 5 alien farm boys out of 10

Have your say

Holla at me in the comments! All my commenters I will now refer to as Jessie. Jessie is a good friend of mine, but Jessies got a girl, and I want to make her mine.

So have at it my Jessies! If you don't have something to comment, simply comment "I am a Jessie."